(A lot of people won't agree with my ideology. That's okay. Just don't harp on me about it. I live in this bubble mindset, a long with a few other people. We like it in here. We'll send you a postcard sometime.)

I'm getting old. I think.

At 25, I know it's as ridiculous as saying the earth is flat, but it's true. My ideologies, my theories, my mindset, and my juxtaposition on everything around me remains the same as it did 5 years ago.

5 years ago, I wanted to date a model girlfriend. So I got one. Actually, a couple. I wanted to travel the world. So I did. I wanted to drive my dream cars. So I made that come true. And I wanted some beautiful and timeless memories along the way.

I got those also.

But in recent years, I've seen the world change. And I just can't come to terms with the change. Stuff I can't deal with includes...

Automatic, dual clutch transmissions.

Why?

Oh, because it's faster. But to me, racing isn't about the car going faster. It's about being fastest among a league of equal peers, am I right?

Not that there's anything wrong with progression, and advancement in engineering. But must we replace something that gives so much tactile feedback to the driver just for the sake of a few seconds per lap that everyone else will eventually be on par too?

Advancements in race engineering and how they're utilized on the track is awesome. But how about instead of just cramming all of them into a car, we cram a driver into all of them, and do the best with what he's got?

F1 has in recent years tried to do this, but they've been core focused on speed and outright lap times. Which is fine. But racing used to be more than that.

It used to be the marriage of finesse, and connectivity with the road. It used to be a challenge not because of how much counter steer you engaged, but for how well you knew your abilities as a driver to reign it in. Not in how confident you were to have your car reign them in for you.

Racing required maximum concentration and true knowledge of the conditions, the area, and the drivers around you. Most of all, the driver was the most pivotal part. It's how he manhandled this brutal box of barely confined, flammable shrapnel. It's how hard he wrangled it in, like a wild horse, bringing it's ability out into the forefront.

In modern day racecars, we know what we're getting into. We know it's capabilities, it's strengths, and it's weaknesses after fewer than 10 laps. We have no interest in "finessing" to the car. Only to getting the most out of it, and moving on.

That's why I personally believe that automatic paddle shifted transmissions are useless on new road cars. I can see their ability to produce a faster car. But I'm not getting into my Ferrari to drive to the bank in the shortest time possible. Chances are high I have to stay in the Ferrari for a short while. I have to feel my surroundings, and feel my cars powerband. I have to adjust to it's on-road capabilities.

But I can't. Because it's racetrack proven capabilities are adjusting to me.

There should be something dynamic and engaging about the aspect of driving itself. I'd rather we didn't try to adjust the faults of certain cars behaviour, and instead left all the technowizadry at home. A real sports car should have soul, and a rebellious side is part of having so much character.